| Hon. Allan Highet | |
|---|---|
| Hon. Allan Highet | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Remuera |
|
| In office 26 November 1966 – 14 July 1984 |
|
| Preceded by | Ronald Algie |
| Succeeded by | Douglas Graham |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | |
| In office 24 August 1975 – 14 July 1984 |
|
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Austin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 May 1913 Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Died | 28 April 1992 (aged 78) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Hoyles Shona McFarlane |
David Allan Highet QSO (27 May 1913 – 28 April 1992) was a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1966 to 1984, representing the National Party for Remuera, holding the then largest majorities in the House.
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Highet was born in Dunedin, the second son of David and Elsie Highet. He attended Otago Boys' High School. Highet's older brother, William Bremner Highet, was an Otago University scholar and professor of neurosurgery, who died on the SS Ceramic in 1942. Highet's uncle was Harry Highet, the civil engineer who designed the P-class yacht.
Highet attended the University of Otago. He obtained a BCom from the University of Otago.
Highet attempted to enlist in the New Zealand army during World War II, but was declined due to having suffered from tuberculosis in the 1930s. Highet served in the Home Guard, reaching the rank of Captain.
Highet practised as an accountant and businessman, and was active in the establishment of the Wellington division of the National Party.
In the 1950s, Highet was a Wellington City Councillor. In 1954, Highet won the National nomination for the Wellington Central seat. Highet's opponent, Labour candidate Frank Kitts, went on to win the seat, and later became the longest-serving Mayor of Wellington.
Highet moved to Auckland in the 1950s, becoming the senior partner in Highet and Toomey, an Auckland accounting firm.
Highet was first married to Patricia Hoyles, and they had a daughter and a son.
Highet later married to prominent New Zealand artist and television personality Shona McFarlane.
Highet was elected to Parliament in the 1966 elections as MP for the Auckland electorate of Remuera, succeeding retiring speaker Ronald Algie. He defeated future colleague George Gair for the nomination as National's candidate for the seat.
Highet was appointed to the Cabinet by Prime Minister John Marshall in 1971, becoming Minister for Internal Affairs, Minister of Local Government and associate Minister for Health and Social Welfare.
The National Party lost the 1972 elections, and Highet was in opposition until 1975. When Robert Muldoon contested the leadership of the National Party in 1974, Highet was one of two National MPs to support Marshall.
With the National Party winning the 1975 elections, Highet was appointed to Cabinet again, becoming Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Local Government, New Zealand's first Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Sport.
Highet was particularly well regarded for his interest in the arts and sport, having been an opera singer and representative sportsman in his youth. Highet founded the National Youth Orchestra, and was a founding Director of the International Festival of the Arts. During his time as Minister for the Arts, Highet founded the New Zealand Film Commission, the Hillary Commission, and was actively involved in the organisation of the Historic Places Trust, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and the Arts Council.
Highet was Minister for Sport during the 1981 Springbok Tour. While Prime Minister Muldoon announced that the New Zealand Government would not intervene to stop the tour going ahead, Highet made public statements indicating that he could use his authority as Internal Affairs Minister, responsible for lotteries funding, to withdraw financial contributions to the New Zealand Rugby Union if the Tour proceeded.
In 1976, Highet introduced the Waitangi Day Act, changing the name of New Zealand's national day back to Waitangi Day.
In 1977, following a petition to the House, Highet introduced God Defend New Zealand, as New Zealand's official national anthem alongside God Save the Queen.
As Minister of Internal Affairs, Highet oversaw the passage of the Citizenship Act 1977, establishing a New Zealand Citizenship as a separate citizenship, and making British citizens legal aliens for the first time. In November 1979 Highet suggested that the design of the Flag of New Zealand should be changed, and sought an artist to design a new flag with a silver fern on the fly. The proposal attracted little support however.[1]
In 1977, Highet introduced the expression "Think Big" in a speech to a National Party Conference, as a description of the Government's then-ambitious major projects in the Energy sector. Highet, as Minister of Racing, named the policy after Melbourne Cup-winning racehorse Think Big.
Highet was considered to be a social liberal, and was among a handful of economically liberal members of Muldoon's cabinet.
Highet suffered grave illness in early 1984, one of the reasons Muldoon called a snap election. Highet retired from politics at the 1984 elections, at the age of 71. National Party member Doug Graham, who had unsuccessfully challenged Highet for the National Party nomination in 1981, won the selection, and succeeded Highet that year.